The word 'Daoyin(導引)' first appears in the work of 《Zengzi》. Its phrase in Chinese characters is as follows.

吹呴呼吸 吐故納新, 熊經鳥申, 爲壽而已矣.
此道引之士, 養形之人 彭祖壽考者之所好也

(Discipline breathing to exhale what is cold and to inhale what is warm, to spew forth what is old to embrace what is new, As a bear seems to crawl up a tree, or a bird appears to stretch out its legs, is but for health and longevity. Such a man performing Daoyin enriches the body, enjoyed by someone who lives as long as Pengzu.)

Also in the record of《Lu-Shi Chun-Qiu》, Daoyin is described as a form of dance. Its phrase in Chinese characters is as follows.

昔陶唐氏之始, 陽多滯伏而湛積, 水道壅塞, 不行其原,
民氣鬱閼而滯着, 筋骨瑟縮不達, 故作爲舞以宣導之

(Long ago, in the early days of King Yao, the flow of yang energy was disrupted and became dormant to cause high humidity, and waterways became blocked to stop flowing. The energy of the people was frustrated and congested and muscles atrophied. So a dance was created to lead the people through teaching.)

Putting these together, it can be seen that Daoyin has been around as a way for health and longevity from very long time past. It can be known that especially the movements and characteristics of animals were imitated for Daoyin, in the very beginning.

It can be known that especially the movements and characteristics of animals were imitated for Daoyin, in the very beginning. While Daoyin appearing in《Zengzi》goes no further than mimicking the movements of bears and birds, later generations added greatly to this humble foundation. In 1973, in Hunan Province was unearthed the Daoyintu《導引圖》a drawing of 44 training movements for Daoyin at the ancient mound of King Ma, of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 9CE). Among them were found 8 or 9 forms imitating the movements of animals.
The work of《Huainazi》from the Xihan period contains the “Six Animals Qigong”of bear "Ebird"Educk"Emonkey"Eowl" Etiger. Historically the most influential and perfected of them all is the work of Huatuo, a famous physician around the end of Donghan period for “Five Animals Qigong”, which showed that bear & birds motions from《Zengzi》, and the《Daoyintu》drawings excavated from the mound of King Ma, and the six animals from《Huainanzi》 were all related works in the original vein.

< Daoyintu > unearthed from early Xihan period burial mound of King Ma.
Ancient style movements similar to that of the Authentic Five Animals Qigong can be seen.

In the Chinese Medicine Bible of《Emperors Chronicles》 there appears the following writing.

中央者, 其地平而濕, 天地所以生萬物也衆. 其民食雜而不勞,
故其病多痿厥寒熱, 其治宜導引按蹻, 故導引按蹻者, 亦中央出也.

(The Middle land is flat and humid, with many creations appearing in heaven & earth. Their people will eat anything yet not move their body, succumbing to disease, paralyses and weakness, invaded by chills & fever. Doubtless, Daoyin & Anmo is the cure! Therefore, DaoyinAn teaching emerged from the Middle.)

The above records indicate that from the four directions of EWS&N, and from the Middle, each with unique climatic environment, each different method of healing came about. From the East Stone Needle(砭石, West Herbs, South Acupuncture, North Moxibustion(灸), Middle Daoyin, each appeared, with Daoyin in particular belonging to the Middle, exhibiting its quality to be applicable to all methods of healing. From this we can know that Daoyin has been from of old a part of medicine, and healing art form.